Fitzrovia sounds posher than it is. It's the other side of Oxford Street to Soho. I don't consider it Soho proper. There are some decent eateries, and the Sanderson Hotel is fun and quirky for afternoon tea, or lunch or a drink, and it's convenient transport-wise, but noisy and busy. I'd still stick to Little Venice as a more chilled base.

And ffs it's not 0.9 mile from the tube - look at a map!

If you read more carefully you will see that the reference to .9 mile was made before the post code was given AND refered to the distance if the apt. was equidistant from Maida Vale and Marble Arch.

Just why are you so keen on the Little Venice apt.? Likely a great place to live, but that does NOT make it a great base for a tourist.

I vehemently disagree that Little Venice is not a good location - unless you are infirm in some way you don't always need to be 30 seconds walk from a tube, or to have multiple lines within arms length. It's nice to have somewhere quieter and more residential to return to the end of the day. I'd hate to be based just off Oxford street with the level of traffic and noise and pollution. Catching the tube from one of the busier, more central stations is horrible, especially for someone with a buggy/toddler/baby - if you get on somewhere a bit quieter you actually have more chance of getting a seat. I like that whole area around Little Venice - not much further afield you have Marylebone (another fave of mine), good antiquing areas off Edgware Road, nice shops and walks around Regents Park, Chalk Farm etc all within a short bus/tube ride (or walk for the fitter). I don't agree with the South Kensington recommendations we often see on here - again good for the museums but horribly busy and expensive. Likewise Covent Garden which is heaving and lacks charm imho, unless you get well away from the market and Long Acre. So I prefer the more residential areas and am happy to hop on the tube or DLR or river taxi to get wherever I need to be. I live 20 miles from London and visit and travel round it a lot, have family based there and have worked there.

'If you read more carefully you will see that the reference to .9 mile was made before the post code was given AND refered to the distance if the apt. was equidistant from Maida Vale and Marble Arch'.


You could see quite clearly from the map that was provided with the property listing that wherever it was in that circle it was considerably less than a mile from a tube station.

>>I vehemently disagree that Little Venice is not a good location -<<

Several of us have said it is a lovely area. And many of the issues were based on the owner's listing being pretty inaccurate. Why it even mentioned Maida Vale is curious. The map circle went very far north and west from the actual location. Once we saw the post code / actual location it changed a whole lot of the discussion.

It IS a lovely area, and would be a GREAT place to live. But it is also in not all that convenient for someone on a short visit, with a party of seven including a toddler. It is close to a park and right on the canal - but it will be a bit of a schelpp to the tube station. Re Fitzrovia -- EVERYTHING depends on the specific location - therefore I asked for the post code.

Snowy: When you have the post code you just type that into google and it will bring up the very specific location on a map so you can see exactly where it is. Then you can go to street view and 'walk' the whole neighborhood. For example the Little Venice post code W9 1AH brings up this map


. . . and this street view

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5242...7i13312!8i6656

'But it is also in not all that convenient for someone on a short visit, with a party of seven including a toddler.'

In your opinion. Some people would actively prefer peace and quiet and not having to navigate the busiest streets and stations on the tube network with a toddler and buggy. This is why people ask for advice in the first place - to get varying opinions and hopefully match up their preferences with someone like-minded once they've heard all the arguments. There is not a right or definitive answer. You don't need to correct other people's advice just because it doesn't match your own preferences.

>>You don't need to correct other people's advice just because it doesn't match your own preferences.<<

Which isn't what you did??

There is no argument BTW. It IS a lovely area, it IS a relatively quiet area. It is not that convenient for touring.

Depends on what they want . . .

Each to their own. When I visit London I could stay with my niece in Brentford, which is less than half that distance from the center, but it would take me at least 40 minutes to get to South Ken and an hour to Trafalgar Square. Instead I stay either on Gower Street or Drury Lane and I haven't found either to be noisy (although I do sleep at the back). I like to have the option of going back to "base" during the day if I choose. I did once stay in Hampstead and I enjoyed spending time IN Hampstead but it was inconvenient for the center. Come to that, I once lived in Highgate, but I wouldn't recommend it for a first time visitor.

Thank you all for your tips, suggestions, and advice. I appreciate your time and effort in responding to my post. Wising everyone a lovely day.

Hello again,

I think I have narrowed it down to this one AirBnB located in the postal code wc1e 7ah. I tried to google map it, but I am not sure how to get the street view so I can "walk" the neighborhood online to see whats around the area. Thoughts on this postal code?

Thanks again for everyones' time.

That is in a pretty convenient location (unless the Northern line is down for maintenance) -- near the Goodge Street tube station and the British Museum.

>>I am not sure how to get the street view so I can "walk" the neighborhood online to see whats around the area.<<

To get street view drag the little yellow man icon to the location on the map and then you can spin around to see the bldg and its neighbors, and 'walk through the neighborhood.

Janis' instructions apply to Google Maps.

That is very close to where I stay on Gower Street. Very convenient.

>>Janis' instructions apply to Google Maps.<<

Which is what I thought the OP was asking about. . .

>>I tried to google map it, but I am not sure how to get the street view so I can "walk" the neighborhood online to see whats around the area<<

When touring, you can adjust how much you spend on food, what sites you see, and what degree of luxury you want, even how you want to move around the city (taxi, tube, or bus). IMO, the only thing you can't change when you are a tourist is the amount of time you have.

You spent a lot on airfare to get there. It is worth a few extra bucks to stay at a location that saves you a significant amount of time to and from your desired sights. (And with six adults and a toddler, it will take longer than usual to get from place to place.)

Just my opinion...but in the world of real estate (which is where you are when shopping a hotel), the key phrase is "Location! Location! Location!"

Stay closer to the main sights.

ssander